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"Light and Steel"
Footsteps echoed across the stone floor of the training hall, cutting through the tense air. Dusty rays of sunlight streamed through the tall arched windows, forming a bright circle in the center—like a stage prepared for what was to come.
Kaelen held a simple training sword in his hand; its edge wasn't sharp, but its impact was real. Across from him stood Amanda, gripping her light-engraved staff with both hands, sweat trickling down her forehead as she kept her eyes fixed on Kaelen.
"Ready?" Kaelen asked, his voice calm but quietly challenging.
Amanda took a deep breath. "Ready."
The crystal at the tip of her staff glowed. Amanda stepped forward and shouted:
"Lumen Bolt!"
A bright sphere of light shot toward Kaelen. But with an almost effortless motion, he slipped to the side, the spell smashing into the ground instead.
"No incantation? So you're directly shaping the spell."
"If this is training, I need to catch you with fast attacks."
"Only if they hit."
At that moment, Kaelen lunged. Amanda panicked and stepped back—but too late. The tip of his training sword tapped her staff.
"You hesitated again," Kaelen said. "You're uncertain while forming your spell. In that tiny gap, an enemy would tear you apart. Monster or mage—if you hesitate, you die."
Amanda clenched her teeth. Her blonde hair fell over her shoulders as she straightened up with determination.
"Again!"
Kaelen nodded and stepped back. The second duel began. This time, Amanda didn't rush. She kept her stance stable, observing. Her staff lit up again.
"Lumen Bolt!"
A longer, spear-like beam of light shot forward. Kaelen ran straight toward it. It nearly struck him—but at the last second he ducked, sliding under it and stopping with his sword poised at Amanda's neck.
"The attack was fast. But you lost focus again. Once the spell leaves your staff, start preparing the next one."
Amanda stepped back, still gripping her staff. "I need to fix that."
"And after you attack, always keep one foot behind you."
"…"
"A spell isn't just firing power. Without follow‑up, it's just an invitation."
Amanda shifted into position again. This time, she was silent. The crystal on her staff trembled with light. Suddenly she surged forward, firing three rapid spells:
"Lumen Bolt! Lumen Bolt! Lumen Bolt!"
The hall lit up. Kaelen deflected the first, dodged the second, and the third nearly grazed his shoulder. He recovered quickly and rushed her. Amanda tried to switch into a defensive spell, but she was too slow. Kaelen's sword brushed her staff again.
He lifted an eyebrow. "Better. The last one almost worked. But after your attack, your stance was wide open. If there had been a second enemy, you'd be dead."
Amanda wiped the sweat from her forehead. "But I almost hit you."
Kaelen nodded. "For the first time, I actually felt threatened. That's good. But you still panic when defending."
Amanda sank to the floor, placing her staff across her knees. "Sometimes… I don't even know what I'm doing wrong."
Kaelen knelt in front of her. "The problem isn't your magic. You've only learned to use your power for defense. You've never truly faced death. But attacking takes courage. You fear that if you make a mistake, you'll be destroyed. But combat is mistakes. What matters is knowing when to recover."
"…Have you ever been close to death? Never mind, forget I asked."
Amanda lowered her head. "Then… I'll try again."
Kaelen stood and offered his hand. She hesitated, then took it. He smirked lightly. "And you… do you always have to win?"
Kaelen narrowed his eyes and shrugged. "Until you win? Yes."
The hall fell silent.
As Amanda steadied her breathing, Kaelen slung the sword onto his back and walked to the wall. He opened a small panel and pressed a sequence of stone buttons. Amanda looked up.
"What are you doing?"
Kaelen answered before pressing the final button. "A battle isn't fought in clear open ground. Mana seeds often activate in chaos. Fog, darkness, echoes, pressure… even if your body knows what to do, if your mind locks up, it's over."
He pressed it.
Thin white mist began spreading from vents along the ceiling and floor. Within seconds it thickened, filling half the hall. Amanda stepped back, gripping her staff.
"Kaelen? Where—"
A sharp whistle cut the air.
Amanda turned instinctively—but too late.
A wooden training knife struck her shoulder. She staggered.
"This isn't a game, Amanda," Kaelen's voice came from somewhere within the mist. "If you act like this inside a mana seed… you're signing your own death. Anything can happen."
Amanda raised her staff. "You can't even see me!"
"I'm not looking at you—I'm feeling you," Kaelen replied from a different direction. "Read the vibration of your own mana. Listen to the silence. Don't sense my footsteps—sense my intent. The hall is full of mana. Feel which part I disturb."
Another strike. This time Amanda dodged, but something hit her leg from the side. She winced.
"This… isn't fair," she muttered.
"Battle isn't fair," Kaelen said. "But if you do the right thing, you create fairness. As a mage, you are vulnerable in close range. Even a degraded‑rank monster knows how to exploit that."
Amanda clenched her fists. She pushed away her fear. The mist obscured everything—but Kaelen's voice led her.
"Focus. Don't push light outward. Let it shine inside you first. If you want to survive the dark, learn to walk through it."
Amanda closed her eyes.
A breath. Deep. Calm.
The mist wasn't warm. It wasn't cold. Just neutral silence. Her mana core thrummed quietly. A faint shimmer gathered at her staff's tip. Not bright—just vibrating.
Amanda whispered:
> "Lumen… Veil."
Light didn't explode. Instead, the mist around her rippled—subtly.
Then she felt it.
A faint disturbance. Behind her.
Without turning, she stepped back with her right foot and swung her staff sideways.
A sharp thwack. The wooden knife flew into the air and clattered to the ground.
Kaelen's voice came from right behind her. "That's it."
Amanda opened her eyes. The mist was still thick—but the fear inside her had eased. Kaelen stood a few steps behind her, smiling with his hand on his sword.
"You didn't block the strike—you sensed it," he said.
Amanda wiped her brow. "I still can't tell if you're training me… or trying to give me a mental breakdown."
Kaelen chuckled. "Both can be useful. Some abilities only awaken when you're pushed. If I were to grade you, I'd give you a three out of ten."
Amanda shook her head, gripped her staff, and stood tall again.
"Shall we continue?" she asked softly.
Kaelen's expression hardened. "This time I'll attack at real speed. But remember one thing, Amanda."
"What is it?"
"The enemy doesn't look at you—they look at your weakness. Not everything comes from the front."
Thwack.
A wooden sword lightly tapped Amanda's head.
The blonde girl slowly collapsed to the floor, still unsure what had even happened.
Kaelen looked at the unconscious girl and sighed with a crooked smile.
"Ahhh, I had to knock her out. If I didn't stop her, she'd train until morning. Who in their right mind pushes themselves this hard? Look at the time."
He cracked his neck, lifted the girl onto his back, and muttered:
"We'll continue the rest tomorrow."
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